Kristin Chenoweth on the Christmas Gift That Brought Her to Tears

Kristin Chenoweth is usually working at Christmastime (see her two holiday albums, multiple holiday movies and many holiday concerts). But this year she's attempting to slow down, at least a little bit, as she celebrates her first Christmas with her husband, musician Josh Bryant.

Related: Kristin Chenoweth Marries Josh Bryant in Dallas

"You know, we're both entertainers, and the holidays is when we usually work, but this year we're going to spend it with our families. So Arkansas at Thanksgiving and Oklahoma at Christmas. And that's different for us because we're always working," the former Wicked star told Parade. "And and I'm glad because right now and I think a lot of the world feels this way, we want to be around those that we love the most and that love us."

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That doesn't mean you'll catch her taking a complete break. "I'm still going to do my Christmas concerts and things like that, but I won't be working on Thanksgiving proper or around Christmas Eve and Christmas Day proper. It's going to be spent with my family," Chenoweth said.

The newly married couple is looking forward to starting some Christmas traditions of their own, including setting up their first Christmas tree together. But it wouldn't be quite right if it didn't have a touch of 'Glinda.' "We actually have a tree. It's pink, don't judge me. Poor Josh!" the Broadway star said.

Related: Thinking Pink this Christmas? These 15 Pink Christmas Trees Are For You

Chenoweth's decorating isn't going to stop there. She's partnering with Command Brand as their Partner-in-Cheer, celebrating the "merry makers" who brighten up the holiday season for others. "A merry maker for me would be my mom," Chenoweth says. "Every year at the holidays, she's the center of our family and she is filled with joy and strength and light and it's impossible not to celebrate in a really great way with her."

Christmas has held a special place in Chenoweth's heart for years. Her fondest Christmas memory of all took place in her pre-teen years. "My brother, I was adopted and he was very protective of that. And for Christmas, he said, he's five years older than me, he said, I just want you to know, I've checked, I've done the due diligence and nobody can ever take you away. And that was the best gift," Chenoweth remembers. "From a person that was, you know, 16 telling me that it was very, very, very sweet. I'll never forget it."

It comes as no surprise that Christmas music is a big deal in the Chenoweth-Bryant household. Her favorite holiday tunes tend to favor an appeal for nostalgia. "I put on the Carpenters, I put on Bing Crosby, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, who I'm on his new Christmas album this year. We sing together, and that's a very big bucket list [item] for me," she says.

As for listening to her own Christmas albums, Chenoweth says she does do it, but only out of necessity. "I only listen to them around this time of year because I'm getting ready to start doing all my Christmas concerts and I need to remind myself of the lyrics so and how I do them," she says.

That doesn't keep it from being a little embarrassing when other people notice. "It sounds so weird! People walk in and I'm like ah, I'm listening to myself. Sorry! I'm so sorry! I'm so embarrassed!"

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